Article of furniture



Nov. 16, 1937. P. MEYER ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Feb. 11, 1937INVENTOR J ATTORNEY.

metal or of a combination of metal and Wood tented Nov. 16, 1937 barrenSTATES meant PATENT QFFEQE 10 Claims.

The invention relates to articles of furniture such as work benches,tables and chairs, and more particularly to a construction in sucharticles permitting a rapid and convenient assembly of the legs or rungsin relation to the top and to each other, and a proper adjustment ofthese parts to ensure a firm structure throughout.

The invention-is particularly adapted for use in the production of Workbenches or tables and specialties in household tables and chairs. InWork benches or tables, the legs are commonly made of metal tubing orrods, and in household tables and chairs, the legs and rungs areordinarily made of wood, either round or polygonal,

although such legs and rungs mat be made of as to dilferent parts of thechair. The invention, however, .is limited to use with the production ofbenches, tables and chairs having wooden tops or wooden seats.

In an article of furniture embodying the invention, the construction ofthe various parts is such as to permit the assembly of the legs and therungs without any turning thereof in relation to the part to which theyare to be connected, and to permit an adjustment of the parts inrelation to each other so as to ensure a bench or table top, or a chairseat, to be brought and maintained at a proper horizontal level.

In an article of furniture embodying the invention, extreme accuracy asto the length of the legs before assembly of the article is unnecessary,and if the same attaching means be used between the legs and the rungsof chairs,

or between rung and rung, as are used for securing the legs in relationto the top or seat, there may be considerable variation in the length ofthe various rungs and still permit a proper fitting of parts.

The use of glue, drive fits, dowels or screws is unnecessary inassemblingarticles of furniture embodying'the invention, since themanner of securing the various parts together is such as to ensure notonly permanency in the connection, but a high degree of rigidity in thestructure as a whole. The form of connection used permits themanufacturer to take advantage of the full strength of materials used,and the attaching means itself serves to reinforce the material of theparts of the furniture with which it is associated.

Furniture embodying the invention may not only be economically produced,so far as the labor item is concerned, but the manner of assembling thevarious parts is such as to permit the shipping of articles of furniturein knockdown form, the simplicity of the attaching means permitting theassembling of the article by dealers in furniture or, if desired, evenby purchasers or ultimate users thereof. This attaching means alsopermits that slight adjustment of parts necessary in truing up anarticle of furniture. I I

The invention consists in an article of furniture having a top slabprovided with a plurality of sockets therein, a spirally wound wirehaving inclined surfaces, imbedded in and secured to the wall of eachsocket whereby wedge-like surfaces are provided within the socket, a constrictible tubular member having exterior wedgelike surfaces adapted to:co-operate with the Wedge-like surfaces within each socket, and havingascrew threaded portion. exposed outwardly of said socket, a leg adaptedto penetrate each tubular member, and a nut engageable with the screwthreads upon each tubular member, whereby longitudinal movement may beimparted to said member to cause the contraction of said member uponsaid leg; and in such other novel features of construction andcombination of parts, as are hereinafter set forth and described, andmore particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a table embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the attaching means between one ofthe legs of the table and the top slab thereof;

Fig. 3 Lean exploded view of the parts shown in Fig. 2; a

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing one manner of attaching a rung to aleg or a rung to a rung when the legs are formed of wood; and

Fig. 5 is a view of the union of a rung with a leg by means of a weldedjoint when metal legs the table. If wooden legs be used, it is customaryto attach the legs to the top slab by means of glue and a mortise andtenon joint, doweling sometimes being resorted to to ensure permanencyin the joint. The various parts entering into the table have fixedpredetermined dimensions, and a very slight variation in such dimensionswill result in instability in the table, since adjustment of these partswhen assembling them in the completed article of furniture is notpossible.

In a table or otherarticle of furniture constructed in accordance withthe invention, a joint between the legs and the top slab is providedwhich will permit a limited adjustment of the legs in relation to thetop slab, or vice versa, thus permitting the levelling of a table.

To permit a convenient assembly of the legs and the top slab of atab1e,'I provide the under side of the top slab ID with a socket formedby boring at each point where a leg is to be located.

One of these sockets is shown at I3.

Secured within this socket in a manner to be more particularly referredto hereinafter, is a square wire helix I4 forming a screw threadpresenting a series of cam-like projections. This helix not onlyreinforces the material of the top slab, but constitutes a wearresisting member preventing the development of looseness in the parts ofthe connecting means between a leg II and the top slab from shinkage ofparts or wear.

The form of this wire helix is shown in detail in Fig. 3 of the drawing,

into the wood of said slab and forcing end prongs I5 and I6 in thematerial of the slab to prevent turning movement of the helix or itsconstriction to an extent to permit the development of looseness or theseparation of the helix from the" slab.

Positioned within the socket I3 in engaging relation with the screwthreads provided by a helix It is a constrictible tube or sleeveI'Lsplit longitudinally thereof as shown at I8, and having exteriorscrew threads I9, these threads, at one end of the tube, engaging thescrew threads formed by the helix Id. The screw threads I-S areV-threads or modified V-threads, ,so as to pro vide within the socketand upon the split tube, co-operating abutting cam surfaces which willserve to constrict the tube in a manner and for the purpose to bereferred to.

While in the drawing I havev shown'a tube I-'Iv which is constrictibleby reason, of its being split longitudinally thereof as that any otherform of tube permitting its constriction to the limited extent required,may be used.

may be screwed into place, it is obvious that if desired, the tube mayto an extent to permit it to be merely pushed into the socket and thenallowed to expand into engagement with the cam-like surfaces afforded bythe helical wire fitting I4. In other words, while the co-operating camsurfaces within the socket'and upon the tube are, asshown, in the formof co-operating screw threads, this is largely a matter of convenienceof manufacture,

since relative adjustment of these parts is unnecessary when assemblinga table. ,One end of the tube or sleeve IT projects beyond the helix I47 and preferably beyond the lower face of the top slab, it beingessential that this end of the tube.

the helix being 'secured in place in the wood of the top slab by forcingsubstantially one-half of the square wire described, it is obvious Whilein mounting the tube IT in the socket, it;

be manually constricted be provided with exterior screw threads so as toreceive a leg having a tubular portion positioned within the split tubeH to the top slab.

When assembling a leg in relation to the top slab, the upper tubular endthereof is inserted in the sleeve I1 and the nut 28 is then turned uponthe sleeve II until it engages the lower face of the slab about thesocket I3. After this initial engagement of the nut with the top slab, acontinued turning of the nut will impart downward movement to the sleevesufficient to cause relative movement of the cam surfaces or threadsthereon in relation to the cam surfaces or threads afforded by the wirehelix I4. This camming 1 action will constrict the tube I'I upon thetubular portion of the leg and at the same time form a string frictionaljoint between the tube and the top slab through the medium of the wirehelix I4. While ordinarily it is desirable to have the top end of thelegs engage the bottom of the socket I3, this is not material, so thatwhen all of the legs have been connected with the top slab in the mannerdescribe-d, any leg may be adjusted longitudinally of the sleeve tocompensate for any slight irregularity inthe lengths of the differentlegs or in the surface upon which the table rests. To permit thisadjustment, the nut adjacent the leg requiring adjustment may beloosened slightly to permit the development of a'close sliding fitbetween the tubular portion of the leg and the split sleeve.

It will be noted that the table topis supported from the legs as aresult of the frictional engagement between same and the split tube, andbetween the tube and the screw threads formed by the helix I4, and thatthe nut 20 is not relied upon to support the table top in any way beyondthe development of constricting pressure asa' result of the turning ofthe nut while in contact with the under face of the top slab.

' When. the invention is applied to a table in which the legs areunconnected by rungs, each leg may be mounted in relation to the. topslab independently of the other legs, and if rungs are to be used, theymay be connected with the legs after the assembly of the legs with thetop slab. If desired, however, the rungs may be applied to thelegs'prior to the assembling of the latter and the top slab, in whichcase all of the legs will be simultaneously fitted to the tubes I1 andthe table top adjusted in relation to the legs prior to the finaldevelopment of longitudinal stresses upon the tubes by the lock nuts 20.

Where -metal legs are employed and rungs are used, these rungs maybeconnected with the legs and with each other; as shown in Fig. 1, byordinary T-fittings commonly used for this purpose, or the rungs may bespot welded to the legs. The former construction permits the shipment ofthe table in knock-down form, the latter does not, although both formspermit the adjustment or screw threads at 22, the 'constrictible tubeat23, the slot therein at 24 and the lock nut at 25. The tubular portionof the rung entering the tube is shown at 26.

a clamp nut 29 utilized in attaching cannot be used in the With thisconstruction, adjustment of the rung in relation to its co-operatingmember, such as the leg or other rung, is permitted in the same manneras the table leg and table top may be adjusted. By unscrewing the locknuts the rungs may. be separated from the legs or other rungs, thuspermitting the table in its entirety to be shipped in knock-down form.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing,-the various T-fittings are indicatedby the reference numeral 2? and the rungs co-operating therewith, at l2.

Referring to Fig. 5 'of the drawing, the rung connecting the table legis shown at 28 and the welded joint between same and the leg at 29.

The top. slab I6 is of wood or a wood substitute, made of compressiblematerial permitting the attachment of the helix l4 thereto by expandingthis helix to drive the spur ends 15 and I6 and a portion of the squarewire into the material. The legs H are preferably formed of tubularmetal or cylindrical, wood throughout, or, as to the'portion thereof co'operating with the split sleeve ll. Rungs may be used or not inaccordance with the design of the article of furniture.

:The outer'configuration of the legs and rungs must be such as toconform to the inner configuration of the split sleeve, which is subjectto wide variation.

Glue or other adhesive, with or without dowels, connection between thelegs and the table top.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details ofconstruction shown in the accompanying drawing, it being apparent thatthere may be a wide variation in the design of the article of furniturewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, theessential characteristic of which resides in the use of a table top ofwood or other substitute material having sockets in the under facethereof, a wire helix secured to the material of the top within saidsockets, the wire of this helix being of a form to provide cam surfaces,as described, a constrictible tube having co-operating cam surfacesexteriorly thereof, a'leg having its upper portion conforming to theinner configuration of, and penetrating said sleeve, and a clamp nutcarried by said sleeve for the purpose of imparting longitudinalmovement thereto to develop a 'camming action sufficient to close saidtube upon the portion of said leg within same.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to haveprotected by Letters Patent, is:-

1. An article of furniture having a top slab provided with a pluralityof sockets therein, a spirally wound wire having inclined surfaces,embedded in and secured to the wall of each socket whereby wedge-likesurfaces are provided within the socket, a constrictible tubular memberhaving exterior wedge-like surfaces adapted to co-operate with thewedge-like surfaces within each socket, and having a screw threadedportion exposed outwardly of said socket, a leg adapted to penetrateeach tubular member, and a nut engageable with the screw threads uponeach tubular member, whereby longitudinal movement may be imparted tosaid member to cause the constriction of said member upon said leg.

2. An article of furniture having a wooden top slab provided-with aplurality of sockets therein, a spirally wound wire, said wire beingsubstantially square in cross section, imbeddedin and secured to thewall of each socket whereby wedge-like surfaces are provided within thesocket, a longitudinally split tube having exterior wedge-like surfacesadapted to co-operate with the wedge-like surfaces within each socket,and having a screw threaded portion exposed outwardly of said socket, aleg adapted to penetrate each tube, and a nut engageable with the screwthreads upon eachtube, whereby longitudinal movement may be imparted tosaid tube to cause the constriction of said tube upon said leg.

' 3. An. article of furniture having a wooden top slab provided with aplurality'of sockets therein, a spirally wound wire having outwardlydirected spurs at the opposite ends thereof, said wire beingsubstantially square in cross section, portions of said wire adjacentone corner thereof and said spurs being imbedded in and secured to thewall of each socket whereby wedge-like surfaces are provided within thesocket, a longitudinally split tube having exterior wedge-like surfacesadapted to co-operate with the Wedge-like surfaces within each socket,and having a screw threaded portion exposed outwardly of said socket, aleg adapted to penetrate each tube, and a nut engageable with the screwthreads upon each tube, whereby longitudinal movement may be imparted tosaid tube to cause the constriction of said tube upon said leg.

4(An article of furniture having a top slab provided with a plurality ofsockets therein, a spirally wound wire having inclined surfaces,imbedded in and secured to the wall of each socket whereby wedge-likesurfaces are provided within the socket, a constrictible tubular memberhaving exterior wedge-like surfaces adapted to co.- operate with thewedge-like surfaces within each socket, and having a screw threadedportion ex posed outwardly of said socket, a cylindrical metallic legadapted to penetrate each tubular member, and a nut engageable with thescrew threads upon each tubular member, whereby longitudinal movementmay be imparted to said member to cause the constriction of said memberupon said leg. I

5. An article of furniture having a wooden top slab provided with aplurality of sockets therein, a spirally wound wire, said wire beingsubstantially square in cross section, imbedded in and secured to thewall of each socket whereby wedgelike surfaces are provided within thesocket, a longitudinally split tube having exterior wedgelike surfacesadapted to co-operate with the wedge-like surfaces within each socket,and having a screw threaded portion exposed outwardly of said socket, acylindrical metallic leg adapted to penetrate each tube, and a nutengageable with the screw threads upon each tube, whereby longitudinalmovement may be imparted to said tube to cause the constriction of saidtube upon said leg.

6. An article of furniture having a wooden top slab provided with aplurality of sockets therein, a spirally wound wire having outwardlydirected spurs at the opposite ends thereof, said wire beingsubstantially square in cross section, portions of said wire adjacentone corner thereof and said spurs being imbedded in and secured to thewall of each socket whereby wedge-like surfaces are provided within thesocket, a longitudinally split tube having exterior wedge-like surfacesadapted to co-operate with the wedge-like surfaces within each socket,and having a screw threaded portion exposed outwardly of said socket, acylindrical metallic leg adapted to penetrate each tube, and a nutengageable with the screw threads upon 4 each tube, whereby longitudinalmovement may be imparted to said tube to cause the constriction of saidtube upon said leg.

7. An article of furniture having a wooden top slab provided with aplurality of sockets therein, a square wire spirally wound at a pitch toform subtsantially V-shaped screw threads, and having its ends providedwith outwardly directed spurs, said wire having a portion thereofadjacent opposite sides of one corner and said spurs imbedded in thewall of each socket, a longitudinally split tube having substantiallyV-shaped screw threads exteriorly thereof of a pitch to co-operate withthe screw threads formed by said wire, said tube being of a length toproject beyond the screw threads formed by said wire and to be exposedoutwardly of said socket, a leg corresponding in contour with theinterior of said split tube and having a free sliding fit therein whenthe tube is enmeshed with said wire threads, and a clamp nut engageablewith the screw threads upon said tube and with the under side of saidtop slab aboutsaid socket, whereby tightening of said nut upon said tubeand against said slab will impart longitudinal movement to said tube andcause it to be constricted and clamped upon said leg.

8. An article of furniture having a top slab provided with a pluralityof sockets therein, a spirally wound wire having inclined surfaces,imbedded in and secured to the wall of each socket whereby wedge-likesurfaces are provided within the socket, a constrictible tubular memberhaving exterior wedge-like surfaces adapted to co operate with thewedge-like surfaces within each socket, and having a screw threadedportion exposed outwardly of said socket, a leg adapted to penetrateeach tubular member, a nut engageable with the screw threads upon eachtubular member, whereby longitudinal movement may be imparted tosaidmember to cause the constriction of said member upon said leg, and rungsconnecting said legs.

9. An article of furniture having a wooden top slab provided with aplurality of sockets therein, a spirally wound wire, said wire beingsubstantially square in cross section, imbedded in and secured to thewall of each socket whereby wedgelike surfaces are provided within thesocket, a

longitudinally split tube having exterior wedgelike surfaces adapted toco-operate with the wedge-like surfaces within each socket, and having ascrew threaded portion exposed outwardly of said socket, a wooden legadapted to penetrate each tubular member, each leg having a sockettherein, a square wire spirally wound at a pitch to form substantiallyv-shaped screw threads and having its ends provided with outwardlydirected spurs, said wire having a portion thereof adjacentopposite'sides of one corner and said spurs, imbedded in the wall of thesocket in each leg, a longitudinally split tube having substantially V-shaped screw threads exteriorly thereof of a pitch to co-operate withthe screw threads formed by said wire, said tube being of a length toproject beyond the screw threads formed by said wire and to be exposedoutwardly of a socket in a leg, a rung corresponding in contour with theinterior or" said split tube and having a free sliding fit therein whenthe tube is enmeshed with said wire threads, and a clamp nut engageablewith the screw threads upon said tube. and with the outside of said legabout said socket, whereby tightening of said nut upon said tube andsaid leg will impart longitudinal movement to said tube and cause it tobe constricted and clamped upon said leg.

7 10. An'article of furniture having wooden legs, each leg having asocket therein, a square wire spirally wound at a pitch to formsubstantially V- shaped screw threads and having its ends providedwith'outwardly directed spurs, said wire having a portion thereofadjacent opposite sides of one corner and said spurs, imbedded in thewall of the socket in each leg, a longitudinally split tube havingsubstantially V-shaped screw threads exteriorly thereof a pitch to,co-operate with the screw threads formed by said wire, said tube beingof a length to project beyond the screw threads formed by said wire andexposed outwardly of a socket in a leg, a rung corresponding in contourwith the interior of said split tube and having a free sliding fittherein when the tube is enmeshed with said wire threads, and a clamp

